The Coalition on Human Needs just released another edition of the Human Needs Report. Read on for pieces on defeating harmful cuts to SNAP/food stamps, a spending cuts package in the House, one win and one loss for consumer protections, and more. Click here for a PDF version.

House Could Vote on Spending Cuts Package this Week
The House could take up a package of domestic spending cuts, also known as rescissions, as early as this week. Proposed by the Trump Administration and supported by some in Congress, the cuts total more than $15 billion, including roughly $7 billion from the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Advocates oppose the rescissions not only because of the bad cuts to housing, health, and other programs, but because they believe the loss of these dollars will make it harder to provide adequate funding levels for human needs priorities in FY19 and beyond. READ MORE »

FY19 Spending Season is Underway
Fiscal Year 2019 spending season is underway, with appropriations work taking place in both chambers. Here are just a few of the highlights and lowlights from some of the bills that have moved so far, including in the areas of immigration, the Census, low-income housing, and more. READ MORE »

Advocates Defeat Farm Bill that Included Harmful SNAP Provisions
In a major victory for advocates and low-income families, Representatives on May 18 rejected the House Farm Bill, legislation that includes the reauthorization of SNAP/food stamps. Advocacy groups from all across the spectrum – including faith, veterans, disability rights, children’s groups and more – banded together to urge Representatives to oppose the bill and defend SNAP, and they saw the bill’s defeat as a rejection of Speaker Ryan and President Trump’s push to cut SNAP and add harmful work requirements to a number of public benefits. READ MORE »

One Win and One Loss for Consumer Protections
In another blow to consumers, the House on May 8 voted to repeal a 2013 measure issued by the Consumer Financial and Protection Bureau (CFPB) aimed at preventing racial discrimination in auto lending, and President Trump signed the legislation on May 21. Advocates breathed a sign of relief, however, when Congress failed to repeal the CFPB’s payday lending rule before the deadline for action expired on May 16. READ MORE »

Census Immigration Question in the Spotlight
On May 18, the Justice Department’s Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights John Gore testified at a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing on the 2020 Census. Gore was originally scheduled to testify at a hearing on May 8 but failed to appear. Emails suggest that Gore was the author of the letter to the Census Bureau requesting the addition of a citizenship question on the 2020 Census. READ MORE »

The Human Needs Report is the regular newsletter on national policy issues affecting low-income and vulnerable populations from the Coalition on Human Needs. Sign up to get the Human Needs Report delivered directly to your inbox, subscribe to CHN's blog, and follow CHN on Facebook and Twitter.